


Pretend

by OceanSpray5



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 19:06:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6820468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OceanSpray5/pseuds/OceanSpray5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A part of her still felt so sad. She saw him look at her like she was a Queen. Like she had all the stars in the sky in her eyes. Like she could do no wrong. That should have made her happy. Then why was she so…melancholy ?</p><p>'And I try to refrain but you’re stuck in my brain.<br/>And all I do is cry and complain because second’s not the same.'</p><p>Maybe that’s why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pretend

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I recently began listening to Halsey’s "Is There Somewhere" and I just couldn’t help imagining Ladynoir so here we have a self indulgent fluffy and slight angst fic. (I'm a sucker for these types of insecure Marinette fics).
> 
> Word of Advice aka Get in the Writer’s Head : Imagine the dance scene with a few different camera angles. Spotlight shining. A few plants hanging above the dance floor. Mari with the same expression as in Dark Cupid before Chat confesses and/or The Umbrella Scene expression while Chat looks at her like she shines brighter and more beautiful than the moon.

The ballroom lights were golden and bright. The decor was magnificent. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling as her eyes, wide and wonder-filled, swept the room drinking everything in. The primary flowers used around the ballroom were blood red roses. They were everywhere. In vases, in flowerpots and bouquets mixed with some Lilies and Golden-rods. Large stands were set up around the room with crystals strung on chains hanging like tears and flower’s were woven in them as well. Overhead plants hung from the ceiling in flower pots, green leafy vines hanging out of the pots.

This was the first time she had ever been to a Gala as grand as this. It seemed the Mayor had gone all out and after hearing Chloe boast about the preparations for a week, Marinette had to admit it truly was breathtaking. The music was soft and the dance floor lively. 

Her heart went thump thump thump against her chest and her stomach squirmed in nerves. Being here made her feel like a Princess. She knew she was far from one despite what her crime-fighting partner insisted in calling her civilian self. (Not that he knew it was her).

She was glad no one had approached her yet to talk. It was strange occurence but a great relief because it allowed her to calm her beating heart and calm herself. Why she was nervous she didn’t know. A tap to the shoulder and she turned around.

Oh.

That’s why.

A rose was pinned to his lapel contrasting greatly with the black and the stem matching the deep green of his tie and his bright cat like eyes. Golden hair brushed and mischievous smirk intact. He held out his hand for her to take.

She didn’t want to admit it, a few months of denial and she almost believed herself. Almost.

“My Lady.” 

His voice was soft as he brushed his lips against her black gloved hand and slipped a red and black corsage on her wrist. Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parted in a slight inaudible gasp. She gave a small nod in greeting as he complimented her appearance. 

She was wearing a red dress with a few black spots on the bodice. It was sleeveless with two black straps. This snapped her out of her reverie and giving a smirk which looked more as a fond smile she took her hand out of his grasp.

“You look pretty sharp yourself kitty.”

He just smiled. Marinette wracked her brain trying to find something to say. Where was her Ladybug wit ? Luckily for her Chloe came over demanding a selfie. For once she actually smiled channeling her inner joy at her interaction with Chat Noir. She took those moments to calm her heart which started beating faster than a bullet train and before she could turn back to Chat, Chloe dragged her across the room to meet some foreign dignitaries.

The rest of the night was spent meeting varying degrees of stuck up people. Most were polite and kind but some would surpass even Mayor Bourgeois and his daughter.

Finally when she got a chance to breath she made her way over to Chat at the corner of the room. He was slightly red.

“What’s the matter kitty ? Socializing getting too much for you ?” He moaned in reply.

“Some people have made it their life’s mission to embarrass poor unsuspecting kitty cats who hate social situations.”

That was his only explanation. Ladybug didn’t press the issue. He’d tell her later when he was less embarrassed. From his face she could tell it was something that would be great ammunition for when his puns became too disastrous.

Her eyes drifted to the dance floor. She had declined every offer she received simly because she hadn’t wanted to dance with someone unfamiliar to her. Not many people were dancing at the moment. She didn’t see her partner watching her longingly glance at the dimly lit floor. He almost kicked himself for not asking her sooner.

A new song started. 

“My Lady, May I have this dance ?”

Marinette turned pink and nodded. Her hand in his outstretched one. She didn’t really know how to dance and she knew Chat knew that.

He led her to the dance floor stopping in the middle. Chat bowed slightly and kissed her hand while she curtsied. His hand found her waist and she set hers on his shoulder.

Her bluebell eyes gazed into his emerald ones. Her brain dimly registered the words. She barely noticed that the rest of the room went dark and a spotlight shone on them. She didn’t notice that everyone was standing at the edge of the dance floor watching them. She didn’t notice that they were the only ones left right in the middle of it. 

_I’m trying not to let it show, that I don’t want to let this go._

The moved as a unit. Anticipating each other’s steps and movements and adjusting accordingly. They were completely synchronized, in perfect harmony. It was breathtaking to watch as he twirled her, as they moved with the song playing in the background. Unaware of everything but themselves. If an Akuma had attacked at that point they wouldn’t have noticed. That’s how enraptured they were by each other.

Marinette felt at ease as they danced. She didn’t know how she finally decided to stop denying what was there. But even she couldn’t deny the butterflies in her stomach, the way she felt her heart skip a few beats every time he caught her again after twirling her or dipping her.

These were moments she would cherish forever. Her heart swelled with elation and there was something so peaceful about their publicly private moment. While they moved in synchronicity.

But she wished she knew something was wrong. A part of her still felt so sad. She saw him look at her like she was a Queen. Like she had all the stars in the sky in her eyes. Like she could do no wrong. That should have made her happy. Then why was she so…melancholy ?

_And I try to refrain but you’re stuck in my brain.  
And all I do is cry and complain because second’s not the same._

Maybe that’s why.

She was Ladybug. He loved her. He loved Ladybug. As much as she hated to admit it, Marinette was Ladybug, Ladybug was not her. Marinette was clumsy and awkward. Marinette over-analyzed things. Ladybug was level headed and rational.

Because a part of her knew, Marinette would always be second. Marinette _was_ always second.

Everyone loved her alter ego and she didn’t really complain about that. But Ladybug was too high on a pedestal and a part of her was scared of the inevitable fall from such a great height. Maybe that’s why she rejected him over and over again. Maybe that’s why she had denied her feelings for so long. Maybe that’s why she refused to tell him even though Tikki had said they could reveal their identities once they managed to work together properly.

She was terrified. It was the type of terror that clutched her heart and made her stomach lurch. The type which stayed away so long as she ignored it but was always ever present at the back of her mind.

That she wasn’t enough. That she would never be enough.

It was selfish to let him love her without knowing who she was. But she was too scared to think of the consequences. People always thought Ladybug was fearless. That wasn’t it. Chat Noir was fearless. Ladybug wasn’t. 

 _Marinette_ wasn’t.

And right now her thoughts were too overwhelming. Tonight was her night. The night where, for once, she would buy into Chat’s schemes. Where she would allow him to treat her as his Princess. Where she would push all negative feelings to the back of her mind to over analyze later in true Marinette fashion.

But for now she would pretend.

Pretend he loved all of her. That he loved Marinette as much as he loved Ladybug. Pretended that Ladybug was all she ever was. That she wasn’t selfish enough to deny him knowing who she was. That she was as flawless as Paris seemed to think she was. That she was everything she’d always wanted to be. Everything she always  _tried_ to be. For now that was enough.

Her green eyed partner pulled her closer. They both stood under the spotlight, foreheads touching, eyes locked.

_I’m sorry but I fell in love tonight.  
I didn’t mean to fall in love tonight._

_You’re looking like you fell in love tonight.  
Could we pretend that we’re in love?_

Yes. 

For now she would pretend.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew. Not my best but I had to get the Ladynoir out of my system. This is unedited but I tried. Leave reviews and fangirl with me.  
> Also did I go too far on the Anaphoria in the story, or is it fine ? I tried.  
> 


End file.
